Kamikaze #3

December 13, 2003

Quick Rating: Below Average

Andy seeks out someone who played Kamikaze and lived to tell about it.

Writer: Olallo Rubio
Pencils: Francisco Herrera
Inks: Cuevas
Colors: Leonardo Olea
Letters: Jared K. Fletcher
Editor: Alex Sinclair
Cover Art: Francisco Herrera
Publisher: DC Comics/Wildstorm/Cliffhanger

With Stone dead after getting his invitation to Kamikaze, Andy decides the only way to uncover the truth of the extreme sport is to play it himself. He seeks out someone who survived a game of Kamikaze hoping to find his way there, but instead finds a broken shell of a man.

This book is pretty lackluster to begin with, but the hype it builds around the Kamikaze game raises it to the level of the absurd. It’s impossible to believe that any sport on Earth, even an illegal one, would be so deadly to most who participate and shatter the very spirits of anyone who survives. When the “big reveal” about the sport finally arrives, whenever it does, it is almost destined to be a disappointment.

It doesn’t help that the plot and characters in this title are paper-thin, either. None of the protagonists is developed beyond being adrenaline junkies (except Stone, who also gets the exceedingly unlikely character trait of claustrophobia), it’s difficult to care. The adult characters almost universally fall into the stereotypical “out of touch authority” figure mode, with police assuming those dangerous surfer kids are responsible for all the bad stuff going down in town without any evidence whatsoever.

Herrera’s manic art style is really the best thing about this title. It’s like Humberto Ramos’s art taken to the extreme, and although the plot and story may not be particularly appealing, it would be disingenuous not to say that the artwork suits it very well.

Unfortunately, the artwork is all that really works in this book. There’s nothing really new, original or gripping about this title, and it’s not a book that will have readers hoping for the next installment.

Rating: 4/10

Kamikaze #2

November 18, 2003

Quick Rating: Below Average

Stone gets the invitation of a lifetime.

Writer: Olallo Rubio
Pencils: Francisco Herrera
Colors: Leonardo Olea
Letters: Jared K. Fletcher
Editor: Alex Sinclair
Cover Art: Francisco Herrera
Publisher: DC Comics/Wildstorm/Cliffhanger

A lot of books suffer from inaccessibility for new readers, and for some reason Wildstorm comics seem to suffer more than most. Andy is broken up over Amy’s death (presumably last issue), and Stone is trying to help him cope. It seems the only way to find out what really happened to her will be for Stone to “play Kamikaze.”

The problem is that there is nothing in this book to explain to us what Kamikaze is, who Amy is, why Andy is so upset or why Stone isn’t more upset, other than a vague reference to his appreciation of Zen.

Even the end of the issue seems very disjointed – it comes completely out of nowhere and seems to have little purpose other than shock value. We don’t know enough about any of these characters at this point to care about them.

I actually like Herrera’s artwork – from what little I could gauge about the story it seems to have a focus on extreme sports like skydiving, and his wild, big-eyed style, which blends wacky curves with extreme angles, fits somehow. Even if the book doesn’t read right, it looks right.

I wish I could rate this book higher, but there’s no way to have any idea what this story is about, and that’s a major problem for me as a reader. A brief recap at the beginning, even a few introductory captions, isn’t too much to ask, and it’s a must unless you expect sales of a book to steadily decrease with each issue – because there’s no way for a new reader to get into it.

Rating: 4/10

Danger Girl: Viva Las Danger #1

November 18, 2003

Quick Rating: Good
Title: Viva Las Danger

Abby Chase recovers an ancient gem, only to run afoul of the machinations of its original owner.

Writer: J. Scott Campbell & Andy Hartnell
Art: Phil Noto
Letters: John Roshell
Editor: Scott Dunbier
Cover Art: Phil Noto (Cover A); J. Scott Campbell (Cover B)
Publisher: DC Comics/Wildstorm/Cliffhanger

I’ve read enough Danger Girl over the years to feel the same way about the property as I do about James Bond movies – it’s predictable, it’s clichéd, but more often than not it winds up finding a way to be a fun time nonetheless. Abby Chase and Johnny Barracuda recover the cleverly-named “Jewel of Eternity” to return it to a Las Vegas casino owner who claims it has been in his family for generations. The Jewel turns out to have mystic properties, and what was supposed to be a relaxing weekend in Vegas turns into a battle against an ancient evil.

The story, as I said, is extremely predictable, and some of the villains (particularly Jackpot, the human slot machine), are almost too cornball to be believed – but somehow, it’s still a fun read.

I greatly enjoy Noto’s artwork, he draws some of the most beautiful women in comics without lapsing into the pure T&A that this property was when Campbell handled the art chores himself, but his actions scenes seem to come out a little stiff and forced. It’s almost like watching still frames from a film of a battle, chosen in-between the moments when the combatants are in their most exciting poses.

If you’re a fan of Danger Girl, you’ll enjoy this one-shot as much as any other Danger Girl book. If you’re not, there’s really nothing here that will inspire you to take it up.

Rating: 7/10

Arrowsmith #4

November 2, 2003

Quick Rating: Excellent
Title: La Vie En Escadrille

Fletcher Arrowsmith deals with the fact that life as an airman is not the grand adventure he had dreamed of.

Writer: Kurt Busiek
Pencils: Carlos Pacheco
Inks: Jesus Merino
Colors: Alex Sinclair
Letters: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Editor: Scott Dunbier
Cover Art: Carlos Pacheco & Jesus Merino
Publisher: DC Comics/Wildstorm/Cliffhanger

One thing you can always say about Kurt Busiek’s writing is that he always finds a way to make his protagonist someone you can relate to, someone you could imagine yourself being had your life gone just slightly different. Many of us, having grown up in a world of magic like Fletcher Arrowsmith, would have dreamed of joining the airmen and going off to fight the good fight against a bitter foe. This issue is about Fletcher coming to grips that war is not an adventure, but a necessary horror, something that must be endured rather than sought out.

The battle scenes in this series continue to be some of the most thrilling things I have read in all my years of reading comic books. The airmen in Fletcher’s world bond with Dragonets and share their powers for intense mid-air combat, yet with all their powers the airmen get close enough to have mile-high swordfights. This is a comic book screaming to be translated into a big-budget action spectacle – if only one could be assured that the studio would maintain the character element that is the backbone of the series.

Pacheco’s character designs are dynamic and exciting, while still looking faithful to a year 1915 that, while not the same as our own, is not that far removed. In the recent exclusivity wars that Marvel and DC have been having, landing Pacheco is the best score DC has made from an artistic standpoint.

Fantasy? War? Alternate history? This comic book has the best elements of all three genres blended together seamlessly. Every time Busiek does a personal project like this, he raises his own bar. It is a testament to his talent that he always makes it over the bar on the next jump.

Rating: 10/10